Feeling the heat this summer?  As this summer’s largest heat wave continues to scorch the nation with no relief in sight, people everywhere are planning getaways to warm water and cool breezes.  And for those of us who can’t sneak away to a tropical paradise, we’re devising ways to make the summer weather more bearable.  When the forecast says 90 degrees and humid, it might not seem so bad to be sitting at a desk in an air-conditioned office.

But summertime in the office brings its own set of concerns, both from the employees who are dreaming of paradise and the ones who are enjoying the A/C.  Here are some of those common summer employment issues and how your business can address them:

Time-off requests.  Employees are dreaming of far-off places with sand and sea, but everyone can’t leave the office at once.  A lot of planning goes into ensuring adequate coverage and productivity during employee vacations.  So before the summer rush, make employees aware of scheduling deadlines and staffing expectations.  After all, communication is the key to successful scheduling, both between management staff and between managers and employees.  That’s why your employee handbook should clearly state the procedure—start to finish—for requesting time off.  Supervisors should calendar all approved time off in a place where all affected personnel can see it.  And if summer is your business’ busy season, you may need to be a little more flexible.  Consider adopting summer hours, so employees can work fewer hours and have more time for themselves and their families, without having to take chunks of vacation time.

Dress code.  Desk-bound employees may be dreaming of sun and surf, but that doesn’t mean they should dress for a day at the beach.  Inappropriate attire can send an unprofessional message and can create discomfort among coworkers.  If flip-flops and tube tops are weaving their way into your employees’ wardrobes, it may be revisit the dress code.  Your business may be comfortable adopting a summer dress code that allows more casual attire, such as polo shirts and khakis for men and sundresses and sandals for women.  Employees will appreciate direction for neat and professional summer work attire, and clear-cut guidelines can help avoid HR headaches.

Employee wellness.  What better time than swimsuit season to implement or promote an employee wellness program?  These programs are a powerful and relatively inexpensive way for businesses to increase the performance and productivity of their most precious commodity: their human resources.  In return, employees can enjoy a healthier lifestyle and a more positive work environment well beyond the summer months.  It’s mutually beneficial!

Summer heat doesn’t have to stifle your business.  Clear guidelines, common sense, and a little creativity can go a long way toward establishing effective HR practices during the summer months and all year long.  But even the most efficient managers and HR representatives can have questions about best practices and effective policies.  That’s where YES! Your Human Resources Solution, Orange County’s premier HR consulting firm, can help.  Our experienced consultants will work with your business to establish clear and effective employee handbooks, job descriptions, and more.  For more information on how we can help your business reach its best, visit our website or contact us for a free consultation.